A state investigation found that Autumn View Gardens assisted living facility in Creve Coeur, Mo., put residents in imminent danger in January when three residents with dementia were found outside the building in freezing temperatures, according to an article on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website.
The facility satisfied investigators’ citations by installing a new door alarm system, retraining staff on supervision policies and adding a full-time receptionist at the front desk.
Staff members told the investigators that the front doors were locked at night but that residents could still get outside.
They need to ring a bell to get back in, but “if a resident got confused and did not understand how to ring the bell or if staff were busy assisting another resident, he/she could be outside for a long time,” the report stated.